Film festival set for April 18

While the festival is described by sponsor LUNA, a nutrition bar company, as being “by, for and about women,” Southeast Alaska State Fair director Ross Silkman said the films don’t only appeal to viewers with two X chromosomes.

“We try to put a spin on it and bill it as, ‘by, for, and about women, but of interest to all,’” Silkman said.

The festival, which features nine short films, is hosted by the fair and Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium’s Wisewoman program. The films range in tone from humorous to dramatic and cover topics including health, motherhood, body image and aging.

Silkman described several of the films’ subjects: a woman undergoing chemotherapy who turns her baldness into a canvass for self-expression, a gymnast selected to participate in an elite training camp, and how the founder of Terry Bicycles revolutionized cycling by specifically designing bike frames for women’s bodies.

Last year, 75 to 100 people attended the festival, which raised more than $1,400. The majority of the proceeds went to the local cancer travel fund, Silkman said.

Pam Sloper is organizing the event’s silent auction, which will feature donated local art and services. Attendees will be able to bid on the items before the films start and during intermission, and winners will be determined by the end of the show.

Sloper said she auctioned off about 30 to 35 items last year. To donate an item or service to the auction, call Sloper at 766-6367.

Tickets include a dinner of Moroccan lentils, rice, green salad, bread and dessert. Alcohol will not be served.

Tickets purchased in advance are $10 for students, $12 for adults and $40 for a family, and $15 at the door. They are available at the Babbling Book and the fair office.